Tennessee soldier serves in Honduras

Photo By Sarah Lupescu | Soldiers in Honduras for Beyond the Horizon 2012 construct a school at the Micheletti construction site. Soldiers on the exercise's third rotation pour concrete into the exterior walls of the school.  

HONDURAS

05.21.2012

Story by Sgt. Sarah Lupescu  

70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MICHELETTI, Honduras – A soldier with the 733rd Engineer Company, 844th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, based out of Greeneville, Tenn., is conducting his annual training with Beyond the Horizon Honduras.

Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Haney, the unit’s acting first sergeant and resident of Leeport, Tenn., is working at the Micheletti construction site where service members are building a schoolhouse for the local people.

“This is good training for everybody,” Haney said. “Putting engineer skills to practical use and working at this site is the best way for soldiers to learn.”

Beyond the Horizon Honduras allows U.S. military personnel and units to sharpen their occupational skills and practice deployment and redeployments. In addition, BTH trains soldiers and partner nations forces to be better prepared to respond to future challenges, while bringing lasting benefits to our partner nations and their people.

Haney and many of his team members are in Honduras for their two-week annual training requirement.

Haney’s team has poured concrete into the exterior walls of the school. Some of their future projects will include putting up roof trusses and pouring sidewalks.

The construction site is located in a rural town. The engineers also have the opportunity to interact with some of the local people and children.

“Annual training events like this are a great opportunity for soldiers to travel outside of the U.S.” Haney said. “It introduces them to a different culture.”

Although Haney holds a leadership position, he likes to get out there and work alongside his troops, he said.

“It’s good for soldiers to see their leaders working,” Haney said. “It helps build a good relationship and trust between the ranks.”

Haney has served 21 years in the military. He has deployed to Iraq and participated in Beyond the Horizon El Salvador in 2011.

At home Haney is a mechanic for a trucking company. He is also a contractor where he works on building houses and other structures.

• Date Taken: 05.21.2012
• Date Posted: 05.21.2012 20:03
• Story ID: 88760
• Location: HN